First Chromecast Shipment Sold Out (GOOG)

Google GOOG is experiencing a fair amount of interest in Chromecast. The memory stick-sized device can plug into any high-definition TV's HDMI port, allowing users to send videos from Google Play, YouTube, Netflix NFLX and Chrome right to the big screen. Chromecast is far from a new concept. Apple AAPL devices employed similar features a long time ago, and there are dozens of smart TVs, game consoles and set-top boxes that can accomplish the same thing. Unlike those items, however, Chromecast retails for just $35. This could have made it more appealing to cost-conscious consumers who were turned off by Apple TV's $99 MSRP. Related: Google Could Beat Apple to U.S. Manufacturing Initially, prospective customers could order Chromecast directly from Google Play. The device was expected to ship within a day or two. According to Mashable, the initial shipments sold out so quickly that Google was forced to delay additional orders until August 2. After that they were delayed until August 7. Now Google has stopped taking pre-orders. The "add to cart" button has been replaced with a "coming soon" notice that hangs above the $35 price box. This is an entirely different world from the one Google experienced last year when it unveiled the Nexus Q. The audio-only device retailed for almost 10 times as much as Chromecast. Its pre-order campaign performed so badly that the company eventually scrapped the whole project and gave the existing (and reportedly faulty) device away for free. Louis Bedigian is the Senior Tech Analyst and Features Writer of Benzinga. You can reach him at 248-636-1322 or louis(at)benzingapro(dot)com. Follow him @LouisBedigianBZ